


4 Years Later

by parkahhhh



Category: The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-23
Updated: 2016-09-23
Packaged: 2018-08-16 23:05:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8121109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/parkahhhh/pseuds/parkahhhh
Summary: Ponyboy is in college now, and he gets a surprise visit from Cherry, who has some pressing matters to discuss with him and the gang.





	

I’m a freshman in college now. Thanks to all of our names in the paper, everybody from around town started sending us money and other things, like letters and stuff. Darry and Soda gathered up enough money to pay for a lot of it, and I got a track scholarship. Since Johnny and and Dally died, I’ve gotten a lot better at running. I think its cause if anything like what happened that day when Johnny killed Randy, I’ll definitely outrun them.  
I live on campus, even though it’s only a two hour drive from the house. Living in a dorm is easier for Soda and Darry, since they don’t have an extra mouth to feed anymore. They gang comes to visit me when they aren’t working. I think it scares off my roommate whenever the gang visits. I feel bad for him.  
I heard a knock on the door. Evan, my roommate, was visiting his parents for a week, so it wouldn’t have been him. Darry and Sodapop were working, so it couldn't've been them, either. I got up from my bed and opened the door.  
Cherry Valance was standing there, looking up at me. “H-hi.” she stuttered, shuffling her feet from side to side. “Hi, Cherry. What are you doing here?” “Can I talk to you for a second, Ponyboy?” “Yeah. Do you wanna come inside?” “That would be nice.” Cherry murmured, walking into my dorm. “Can you close the door, Ponyboy?” “Of course,” I said as I shut the door behind me. “What’s wrong? You have this weird expression on your face like your cat died.” I chuckled.  
“Ponyboy, Johnny never died.” “What?” “The government thought it would be best if they faked his death, so he could be safe from other Socs and his parents. He’s currently in the Witness Protection Program, but his supervisors are deciding if he should move back home, to Tulsa.” Oh my god, Johnny wasn’t dead. “Why didn’t someone tell me?” I said quietly. “That’s kinda the point of WPP, Pony. Nobody was supposed to if he was dead or not. It was better that way.” Cherry whispered. I realized I was glaring at her, and stopped. It wasn’t her fault that the government liked to keep secrets.  
“Does the rest of the gang know?” I asked. They have the right to. “I was hoping you would come with me to tell them. It would be better if they heard it from you.” Cherry explained. Even though I had a few more classes that day, I still said yes. I packed an overnight bag, and we left the building, got into Cherry’s bright red Stingray, and started the long ride to Tulsa.

After two hours and a short stop at a gas station, we arrived at the house. Me and Cherry got out of the car, and walked up to the front door. I could hear Soda’s laughter and something cooking. I opened the door, and Soda looked to see who it was.  
“Ponyboy!” Soda smiled before running up to me and givin’ me a great big bear hug. “What are you doing here? Don’t you still have classes? It’s Thursday, isn’t it?” He looked behind me, and his smile dropped from his face. “Cherry? What are you doing here?” “We need to tell you something. Pony, go ahead.” I didn’t notice Two-Bit was sitting on the couch until he said, “Oh my Lord, did you get Cherry knocked up?” Cherry blush was almost as red as her hair. “No! I was gonna say that Johnny wasn’t actually dead and that he was in Witness Protection and his supervisors are thinking about letting him come back!”  
Darry came out of his room and said groggily, “What did you say?” After I had left for college, Darry could work less, so he took a lot of naps. “Johnny isn’t dead, guys. I just got told an hour ago.” I answered. After I had left for college, Darry could work less, so he took a lot of naps. “Johnny isn’t dead, guys. I just got told an hour ago.” I answered. Darry picked up a shirt from the back of a chair and said, “Why don’t you too come in so you can explain more?” “Thank you, Darry.” said Cherry as she sat her bag on the floor. I went into the kitchen and found some chocolate cake in the icebox. “So, why did Johnny pretend to die, just to be protected? Heck, that kid ain’t that hard to take care of. I could even do it.” Two-Bit laughed. “It isn’t that easy, Two-Bit. If five Socs came after you and Johnny, you wouldn’t have been able to protect both of you. You don’t even have your switchblade anymore.” Darry explained. “Johnny was put in Witness Protection so any angry, drunk Socs don’t come after him in the middle of the night.” I replied. Just then, there was a knock on the door. “What now?” Darry groaned. He walked over to the door and opened it. We all looked towards him, and gasped.  
“Hey, guys.” waved Johnny, sitting in a wheelchair. “Johnny!” I yelled, and ran over to him and hugged him. “Hi, Pony. Could you gett off? You’re kind of crushing my lungs.”he piped up. “Sorry, Johnnycake. Guys, lay off, okay?” I said, because I knew the gang would dogpile on him, even though he’s in a wheelchair. “Hey, who says we were gonna rough him up?” Sodapop smirked. “It’s great to see you guys. How long has it been, 5 years?” Johnny said quietly. “Four, actually. God, Johnny, I can’t believe you're alive. Why didn’t you tell us? Or at least leave something other than that letter in the book.” I croak. Lord, I was starting to cry.  
“I tried to get those agents to let me do something, like a phone call, but I could only call Cherry, cause of her Socy-ness and all. She was the only person on my list of friends that they could “trust”.” Johnny said, “Don’t cry, Ponyboy. I thought you promised me that you wouldn't no more.” “I can’t help it. You’ve been gone for so long and we all thought you were dead. Do you know how hard that was? My best friend was dead but he wasn’t, he was probably living the life wherever you were! You expect me not to cry?” I really was upset that day. It wasn’t as bad when Cherry told me, but when Johnny walked, er, rolled through that door I just fell apart. “I’m sorry, Ponyboy, but you would have died if I survived after a brush with death, just to get killed by an angry Soc.” Johnny muttered. “No, I’m sorry, Johnnycake. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I was just angry that no one told me.” “It’s okay.” We all stood in silence for a while until Two-Bit piped up, “Hey, let’s get Steve over here and have a party! We got our Johnnykid back!”

Cherry had left, she said her parents would not have appreciated her staying out all night. “Hey, everybody!” shouted Steve as he came through the door. Johnny rolled up to him, “Hey Steve.” “Johnny Cade, long time no see!” he said as he shook Johnny’s hand. “Steve, come into the kitchen, we’re playing cards!” Soda bellowed. “I’m coming, I’m coming.” Steve said as he walked towards the kitchen.  
“Darry? Can I talk to you for a second?” I whispered to him. “What’s wrong, Pony?” Darry said as he pulled me into the hallway. “Do you think Johnny knows about Dally?” Darry’s face went from worry to distress. “Gee, I don’t know, Ponyboy. Don’t you think somebody would have told him?” “If they didn’t tell us he wasn’t dead, those agents wouldn’t have told him about Dally.” I muttered. “Maybe we should wait until he mentions it. It’ll make it easier for him.” Darry responded. “I guess so. Thanks, Darry.” He gave me a big ol’ hug and told me to go join the party. Maybe Johnny does know, but he doesn't wanna talk about, I thought.  
After a few rounds of poker and a couple of slices of chocolate cake, we were all tired as heck. “Me and Two-Bit are gonna head out. See y’all later.” Steve said. “Man, we are gonna get drunk tonight!” I could hear him yell as they walked out the door laughing. “I’m gonna go to bed. Night, guys.” Soda yawned. “Me, too. Don’t stay up too late, and don’t leave the house, you hear?” Darry ordered. “Okay, okay. Night, Dally. Night, Soda.” I said. They both grunted in response.  
“Why didn’t Dally show up tonight, Pony? Did he get in trouble with the cops again?” Johnny inquired. “Yeah, he did. After you “died”, he robbed a grocery store and pulled an unloaded gun on them. They shot him down before he could do anything. I’m sorry none of us told you.” I could hear Johnny’s breath hitch in his throat and he began to cry. “God, I wish he hadn’t pulled that gun. Why didn’t somebody tell him there was good in the world before it was too late?” he sobbed. “I’m sorry, Johnny. I should have told you.” “It’s okay, Ponyboy. I should have seen it coming.” he sniffled as he tried his tears. “Can we stop crying now?” “Yeah, Johnny, we can stop crying.” 

“Nature’s first green is gold,  
Her hardest hue to hold.  
Her early leaf’s a flower;  
But only so an hour.  
Then leaf subsides to leaf.  
So Eden sank to grief,  
So dawn goes down to day.  
Nothing gold can stay.”  
-Robert Frost


End file.
